Pesticide Reform Campaign

Beyond Toxics works hard to reduce the damaging impacts of pesticides on the health of Oregonians, native fish, rivers, streams, and native plants. We educate public officials and the public about the dangers of pesticides and play a key role in advancing significant policy changes that will protect people and the environment.

Beyond Toxics has 5 projects related to our work for pesticide reform:

The Pew Research Center consistently shows that clean water is what matters most to Oregonians. Photo by Carla Hervert, RN

The issue

Pesticides are everywhere, especially where they should never be found. They drift beyond the site for which they were intended into surrounding areas and beyond. They’re found in our streams, rivers and lakes, on our land, and in our bodies. They are hidden in our food. There is no longer any doubt that pesticides expose each of us to profound risks in our lifetime and can also harm generations to come.

Medical studies show many pesticides cause cancer, asthma, birth defects, and developmental disabilities. Research shows that even newborn babies have synthetic chemicals passed on from their mothers – sadly, these neurotoxins have been detected in newborn infants. And recent testing shows that pesticides are being stored in Oregonians of every age. (Background on the Triangle Lake controversy.)

Pesticide use has been linked to bee die-offs, salmon run extinction, frog reproductive issues, and many more examples of environmental destruction.

Many people don’t realize that the EPA and other governmental bodies responsible for regulating pesticide use acknowledge pesticides are damaging to humans and the environment, yet they still allow these pesticides to be used. How is that possible?

The laws we have to “regulate” pesticides were written by the chemical industry many years ago and are based on flawed and biased “science.” Our fight to make these laws align with modern science and human rights is fierce. What’s more, local, state and federal governments use pesticides on public lands and in public buildings without informing people or getting their permission prior to use.

What Beyond Toxics is Doing

We’re working to reduce pesticide use and drift in public spaces such as schools, government buildings and public roadways. (For public lands in Oregon, our Safe Public Places campaign was a success!) We’re working to protect the health of ourselves, our children, and the planet we live on by helping communities around Oregon organize and take action to enact protective laws and practices. We recommend sane and scientifically sound policies and searching for natural and safe alternatives. We can be found helping you in your community and working in the legislature to change laws so that people and the environment are fully protected.

Protecting Children from Pesticides
Beyond Toxics introduced language and spearheaded passage of the 2009 law to limit pesticides at all Oregon schools. The Oregon School IPM law is one of the strongest in the nation. Read our report that lead to the passage of this landmark legislation.